Dolpa Bala Tripura Sundari, Nepal

Address

Dolpa Bala Tripura Sundari, Nepal-

Diety

Amman: Bala Tripura Sundari (Durga)

Introduction

Bala Tripura Sundari Temple is located at the Tripurakot on the bank of Thuli Bheri river in Dolpa district of Nepal. About 20,000 pilgrims visit the temple every year, mostly during Dashain festival. The temple structure is said to have been built in the 12th Century. The temple is at the hill near the confluence of Bhariavi Ganga, Tamrabarni and Sundari rivers. The temple has statues of five goddesses Barahi, Chamunda, Bhramayani, Indrayani and Mahakali. There are other 8 metal idols of various god and goddesses. The idols of Chamunda, Chandika, and Vaishnav were stolen. This temple in Dolpa is dedicated to goddess Durga.

Puranic Significance

According to the legend, a king named Bikram Shahi ruled the area and the temple now where it stands was his palace. His works when beat rice in okhal, they found the rice was doubled. This mystery led the king to excavate the area in around 1410 BS. He found a statue of Bhagwati standing in a Sadkon Yantra. Many butterflies came out of the excavated pit. One of the butterflies went to sit in the location where the current temple lies. During excavation work of Okhall one butterfly was hurt and changed into statue while villagers attempted to catch it. Among remaining eight butterflies, five butterflies flied to different places of Nepal and now they are established as a religious centre with different named as Kanika Sundari in Jumla district, Bagheshwori in Nepalgunj district, KhairaBang Bhagawoti in Salyan district, Tripureshwori Bhagawoti in Baitadi district and BadiMalika in Doti district. Three butterflies changed to statue while villagers attempt to catch them. Observing the transformation of butterflies to statue while attempting to catch them, villagers discussed about what to do next with those butterflies. But this happening was already dreamed by Kaji Bista, a villager. He dreamed “we were nine sister of Durga Bhagawati, villagers have to construct a temple at the place where there exist Okhall and do regular worship and prayer from Brahmin. In the next morning Kaji Bista discussed his dream with villagers and villagers constructed a small temple over the place of Okhall. During that period, Brahmin was not present on Tibrikot District. These have created problem and pressure in dwellers of Tibrikot. So they decided to call Brahmin from Jumla district. But fortunately Sukdev Neupane of Jumla along with a group were returning from Muktinath and stay at Bala Tripura Sundari Bhagawati temple which lies on the way of muktinath to Jumla. Villagers realized to share the dream related to worshiping of Statute with Sukdev Neupane hoping to let him stay at temple as regular priest and villagers will manage all necessary properties (land, house, money, etc) for him to stay at Tibrikot. But group of Sukdev refused villager’s proposal and moved for Jumla. But one the way to Jumla from Tibrikot near the Temple there lie’s a river named Tamrawani. While crossing the river Sukdev and his groups were unable to see anything i.e., the blindness was developed on them, but as they attempt to return back to Bala Tripura Sundari Bhagawati temple their blindness problem disappeared. They felt that this was effect of goddess Bala Tripura Sundari Bhagawati. So Brahmin Sukdev Neupane decided to stay at temple as regular priest. After the establishment of temple, Tibrikot name was changed and known as Tripurakot. Recently, with the Aid of Indian Government, Mr.Laxmi Kant Upadhaya: a local resident living in Dunai(Headquarter of Dolpa) dedicate his life for renovation of this temple and now it is already completed.